1 . A team in Europe are working with wood, but not in the usual ways. They are not carpenters (木匠). Instead, they are scientists exploring how wood can lead to a greener electronic device, a transistor (晶体管) made from balsa wood, whose production releases less climate-warming gas into the air.
Transistors play an important role in computers and other devices. They act like tiny switches to control the flow of electricity. Engineers use them to process and store data. Today’s laptops may host billions of them. So they must be tiny — only a little wider than a strand of DNA.
The new transistor being built by physicist Isak Engquist and his team at Sweden’s Linkoping University isn’t as small as those. Big enough to see and hold, it can stand only an electric pressure that pushes electrons along. And it controls a current using charged particles (粒子) called ions.
This new technology shows a “proof of concept” that the idea can work, even if the new device is not yet ready to put into today’s electronics. “While it seems large by today’s standards, such a transistor still might prove useful for electronics that require low electric pressures,” says Engquist.
“The new transistor suggests that future electronic devices might be made in living plants,” Daniel Simon, a physicist in the team, says. “Imagine peeling away some bark from a living tree,” he says, “and stamping electronic circuits into the living wood.”
In fact, Engquist says, “There are so many ways we can use wood and the components of wood that we would never have thought of.” For instance, he can now imagine a wood-based sensor that could monitor crop health, measure pollution or survey a forest for fire risk.
1. Which can best describe the transistor?A.Costly. | B.Widely used. |
C.Time-saving. | D.More environmentally friendly. |
A.It is much bigger. | B.It can’t stand electric pressure. |
C.It can’t be seen. | D.It is made from metal. |
A.Uncertain. | B.Doubtful. | C.Positive. | D.Indifferent. |
A.Wood’s surprising roles in modern electronic design |
B.Wood-made transistors: a step toward greener electronics |
C.Scientists are researching the history of transistors |
D.Scientists are working as carpenters to invent transistors |
2 . Walking by Mr. Groll’s yard is the worst part of our morning walk—the unfriendly shape nearby that shades us: Mr. Groll.
“Hello, Mr. Groll.” I
Me and Chó! An idea
“Mai! Be
“You solve my mystery. It isn’t because I’m blind that you don’t like me. Or because I am a Vietnamese.” I
He
I tell him, “Your fear of Chó may be big, but
Then I take Mr. Groll’s hand in mine and guide it to Chó’s head.
A.inquire | B.greet | C.bother | D.perceive |
A.tolerate | B.criticize | C.punish | D.ignore |
A.Disabilities | B.Challenges | C.Patients | D.Animals |
A.miss | B.find | C.recall | D.imagine |
A.neighbors | B.adults | C.students | D.locals |
A.solves | B.brightens | C.investigates | D.creates |
A.fight | B.push | C.lose | D.feel |
A.brave | B.active | C.quiet | D.careful |
A.courage | B.panic | C.discovery | D.exploration |
A.complain | B.illustrate | C.sigh | D.argue |
A.hears | B.expresses | C.keeps | D.lowers |
A.friends | B.fellows | C.words | D.ideas |
A.company | B.friendship | C.kindness | D.politeness |
A.trust | B.warn | C.detect | D.respect |
A.Accurately | B.Hesitantly | C.Aimlessly | D.Fearfully |
3 . Young people are spending more time in digital spaces. The Internet allows us to connect with people, share ideas, be creative, have fun and discover new things. Unfortunately, young people also face risks online. Common problems include cyberbullying (网络欺凌), receiving unwanted messages, seeing images and content you don’t want to see, or having your private information or photos shared without your permission.
Safer Internet Day (SID) is organized in the second week of February every year, and over 180 countries take part. The aim is to raise awareness of online issues and make the Internet a safer place. SID invites everyone to be part of a big conversation about online issues. This is particularly important for teenagers because they often experience unpleasant situations online, but they don’t always feel they can talk about them.
Cyberbullying is when someone uses the Internet to embarrass, threaten or hurt another person. If you experience cyberbullying, talk to an adult you trust as soon as possible. Don’t reply to any messages but save the evidence.
Going online often means spending time alone. When you feel down, social media can make you feel lonelier. Using social media might be related to higher levels of depression. So you need healthy social media use.
Whatever app you use, make sure you know who sees your posts and personal information. Limit what people can see, decide who can comment on your content and thwart other users’ comment. It may be illegal to share a photo or video of someone without their permission. The SID’s website has advice about what to do if someone shares pictures of you that you feel embarrassed about.
There is still a lot we don’t know about how time spent online affects people’s well-being. But talking about all the issues helps everyone understand common problems and know how to deal with them.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?A.The Internet has both good and bad sides. |
B.The Internet is a safe place to share photos. |
C.Young people should avoid going online. |
D.Young people face more risks than adults. |
A.What we can do on SID. | B.How to take part in SID. |
C.The time of organizing SID. | D.Some information about SID. |
A.Use other social media. | B.Turn to adults for help. |
C.Reply to the messages. | D.Deal with it with classmates. |
A.Admit. | B.Replace. | C.Prevent. | D.Change. |
1. What will the man do right after graduation from high school?
A.Go to university. | B.Travel in the world. | C.Do voluntary work. |
A.Traditional Chinese architecture. |
B.Ancient buildings in his homeland. |
C.Famous buildings around the world. |
A.A doctor. | B.A teacher. | C.A lawyer. |
A.Living in his own green house. |
B.Designing environment-friendly houses. |
C.Raising money for poor children in London. |
A.That all | B.What | C.All that | D.What all |
1. What language does the woman suggest?
A.French. | B.German | C.Spanish. |
A.By using an app. |
B.By taking an online course. |
C.By attending a language school. |
A.A programmer. | B.An engineer. | C.A teacher. |
A.To study abroad. | B.To design programs. | C.To inspire his students. |
7 . Before traveling to Lake Tahoe, make sure your plans are in order. Here are several vacation packages to the area offered online. Easily find the perfect route or simply build your own to experience the wonders of Lake Tahoe.
Get Outdoors in Lake Tahoe PackageGet outdoors and explore! With this fun vacation package, you can stay in the Lake Tahoe area for three nights and have a few adventures along the way. This package also features Lake Tahoe Sport Fishing, allowing guests to get out and fish!
Package includes: 3 nights’ lodging (住宿) in your choice of over 33 hotels.
Lake Tahoe Romantic Getaway PackageLake Tahoe Romantic Getaway Package is perfect for people who want to have a romantic time. It also includes the Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay Sunset Cruise on the Bleu Wave, which allows you the chance to see the beautiful surroundings of Lake Tahoe.
Package includes: 4 nights’ lodging in your choice of over 11 hotels.
Lake Tahoe Family Vacation PackageDue to the amazing sights, there are lots of activities in this package to take part in. If your next trip happens to be in the Lake Tahoe area, then consider booking the Lake Tahoe Family Vacation Package. Everyone is suitable to visit.
Package includes: 3 nights’ lodging in your choice of over 11 hotels.
Lake Tahoe Weekend Getaway PackageLake Tahoe Weekend Getaway Package is great for people of all ages, so this is a great choice for families. It also includes a Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay Cruise, which takes place aboard the Bleu Wave.
Package includes: 2 nights’ lodging in your choice of over 22 hotels.
1. Which package should you choose if you like adventures?A.Get Outdoors in Lake Tahoe Package. | B.Lake Tahoe Romantic Getaway Package. |
C.Lake Tahoe Family Vacation Package. | D.Lake Tahoe Weekend Getaway Package. |
A.Go fishing. | B.Have five full nights at a hotel. |
C.Go cycling along the Lake Tahoe. | D.Enjoy the sunset. |
A.The price. | B.The activities. | C.The customers. | D.The accommodation. |
A.Sound the alarm clock. |
B.Make sure the door is cold. |
C.Go directly to the emergency exit. |
9 . ①The world’s heaviest snake has been hiding a big secret.
② According to a study published today in the open-access journal MDPI Diversity, the animal known as the green anaconda, or Eunectes murinus, is actually two genetically distinct species, despite each species looking so similar that even experts can’t tell them apart.
③“Genetically, the differences are massive,” says Bryan Fry, a National Geographic Explorer, biologist at the University of Queensland in Australia, and coauthor of the new study. “They’re five-and-a-half percent different, genetically. Now, to put that into context, we’re about two percent different from chimps,” he says.
④ To make the shocking discovery, Fry and his coauthors collected blood and tissue samples from green anacondas in Ecuador, Venezuela, and Brazil.The study authors also examined each animal closely to count scales and look for other physical traits that could signal an evolutionary difference. After running the genetic data, they found a clear divide between anacondas sampled in the northern part of the range as opposed to those in the south. And based on those findings, they propose renaming the snakes found in the north as the northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima), while E. murinus will continue to refer to southern green anacondas.
⑤Fry says his jaw dropped when the analyses completed. “I didn’t expect that level of difference,” he says. “It’s just mind-blowing. We were all of us very much doing happy dances.”
⑥While it may seem like splitting hairs to re-classify two populations of snakes that look identical to one another, Fry emphasizes how important such delineations can be for understanding the threats posed to these creatures. Right now, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the green anaconda as a species of least concern when it comes to extinction risk, but this classification is based, in part, on how widely distributed a species is. “It’s important, because the newly described northern green anaconda has a much smaller range than the southern, and so that means it’s much more vulnerable,” says Fry.
⑦Working with giant snakes isn’t easy. The fact that anacondas are massive, powerful predators is just one reason the animals haven’t been more closely studied. However, more work of this kind may be needed to understand how the northern and southern green anacondas started separate evolutionary tracks. After all, the two species appear to coexist in French Guiana, even as close as being found on opposite riverbanks, says Fry. And yet, there’s no evidence of interbreeding in their genetics.
1. W'hy did the author mention “we’re about two percent different from chimps” in paragraph 3?A.To show how genetically different green anacondas are. |
B.To show how distant we humans are from green anacondas. |
C.To show how similar green anacondas are in appearance. |
D.To show how hard it is for experts to tell green anacondas apart. |
A.similarity | B.conservation | C.classification | D.extinction |
A.Experts suggest continuing to refer to the northern green anacondas as Eunectes murinus. |
B.Experts are sure of how green anacondas started different evolutionary tracks. |
C.The classification of green anacondas helps arouse awareness of its protection. |
D.The two species of green anacondas once interbred in their genetics when living close. |
A.Eunectes akayima: splitting hairs |
B.Eunectes murinus: the world’s heaviest snake |
C.Northern green anaconda: a newly found species |
D.Green anacondas: two genetically different species |
One afternoon in August, five years after Mom passed away, I was unpacking my groceries(食品杂货) in my kitchen. When I lifted my left hand out of a grocery bag, I suddenly couldn’t breathe. Looking at the ring on my finger, I found the star sapphire (蓝宝石)was gone. Mom had given me the ring on my twenty-first birthday. I had worn it every day for twenty-nine years. It was a reminder of Mom and a symbol of our love.
“No! No! No!” I yelled, hurrying to check the bag and the floor, and then my car, but the star sapphire was nowhere to be found. Feeling helpless, I called my best friend, Marie. “The star sapphire in my ring fell out. I don’t know what to do,” I said, extremely worried.
Marie replied, “Please don’t be anxious. Try to stay calm and positive. You can go back to the places you just visited and take a look.” But how could I keep hope in seemingly impossible situations? Anyway, I started my car and drove to the grocery store again. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was little chance that I could find my stone.
Back at the grocery store, I pulled into the same parking spot and looked everywhere for my star sapphire. My hands and knees felt the hot ground as I searched crazily around and under my SUV car. Then I rushed inside the store, searching for a familiar face for more help. I spotted Amanda, a staff member whom I had met on previous shopping trips, and urgently tapped her on the shoulder. “I was just here twenty minutes ago and lost the stone of this ring. It’s very special to me. It’s from my late mom. Could you please help me look for it?” I cried, unaware that many other people around also heard my words.
Amanda’s eyes softened and she nodded understandingly. She immediately took a large mop(拖把) and started carefully sweeping it back and forth down the first aisle (过道) of the huge store.
Paragraph 1:In tears, I called after her, “It’s light blue and small.”
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Suddenly, a customer near the counter excitedly called out loudly, “Oh, Madam, I’ve found it!”.
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